Roman Reigns has not been seen on WWE television since his significant loss to Bronson Reed at Crown Jewel.
The match ended dramatically after Jey Uso delivered a devastating spear, leading to Reed’s victory over Reigns.
Fans are eagerly anticipating Reigns’ return and the next chapter in his WWE journey.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/roman-reigns-return-replace-jey-uso-upcoming-match-backstage-assault-exploring-possibility
The look on Mika Zibanejad’s face as he skated toward the boards after Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson robbed him from just outside the crease in the third period said it all. His head tilted to the left, and a look of disbelief stretched across his face.
The tone of his answers minutes after the fourth consecutive Rangers loss at the Garden to open the season did, too. When asked if it’s dangerous for the Blueshirts to keep saying at least they’re getting chances if they’re not getting goals, Zibanejad’s answer included, “I honestly don’t know what else to do.” Then, when asked how the Rangers can create better puck luck, he partly replied, “Do you have a better idea than what we’re doing right now?”
Those moments, which strayed from the typically stoic and calm demeanor of the longest-tenured Blueshirt, served as hints of mounting frustration from their early season offensive woes. This came even as head coach Mike Sullivan insisted after their 3-1 loss Monday that there isn’t a disconnect on offense.
“I mean, we just have to keep going,” Zibanejad said when asked about the puck luck. “Like, I don’t know, it’s frustrating, and I understand that you guys gotta ask the questions, but we have to bear down on chances. I have to score on that one [in the third period]. It’s simple.
“Do I want to [score]? Yeah, but I’m not scoring on that chance.”
Zibanejad, with two goals and a pair of assists through eight games, has been a bright spot for the Rangers so far. He produced two additional high-danger chances against Minnesota, according to Natural Stat Trick.
His Blueshirts future wasn’t guaranteed at the end of last season, even with his full no-move clause, as another coach took over and the long-standing core gradually broke up. But Sullivan made it a priority to ensure Zibanejad remained a key piece of what transpired and even traveled to Sweden to visit him in June. So far, the dividends from that investment have been evident.
That doesn’t mean Zibanejad has been immune to the struggles. There was the moment Monday where he just couldn’t flip the puck past Gustavsson’s glove. He hasn’t collected a five-on-five goal this season, and despite already tallying 19 high-danger chances—which puts him on pace to shatter his 72 from an 82-game campaign last year through the Rangers’ opening stretch—he hasn’t been able to convert more of those into goals.
When asked about the danger of settling for chances instead of goals, Zibanejad admitted, “I have to score. Yes, I understand that, but I’m getting to the chance. I’d be more worried if we didn’t get any chances, if I don’t get that chance, if we don’t get those chances. It’s frustrating for us. It’s frustrating for me.”
The chagrin wasn’t limited to just Zibanejad in the aftermath of Monday’s loss. Captain J.T. Miller rued two chances he missed which he said should’ve resulted in a 2-1 advantage for the Rangers and would’ve allowed them to play with a lead. Defenseman Adam Fox expressed disappointment as well, citing the team’s apparent progress Saturday with four goals, and lamenting that they still remain winless at the Garden.
The Blueshirts have scored 15 goals across four road games but just one during four home games. Despite this, the Rangers lead the NHL with an expected goals for of 16.97, according to Natural Stat Trick, and have generated the second-most high-danger chances in the league (80), behind only the Penguins (83).
Sullivan, when asked about the potential disconnect, said the Blueshirts have still “played extremely well and [are] generating a specific amount of offense,” with the exception of the season-opening loss to Pittsburgh—and the analytics support that.
“We didn’t get rewarded for it on some nights,” Sullivan said, “but it wasn’t a case of disconnect or not getting looks. I didn’t think we got as many looks tonight, but we didn’t play as well. That’s different. So the narrative is very different tonight than it’s been in the last couple of weeks.”
Still, even after Artemi Panarin scored 57 seconds into Monday’s game to snap their scoreless drought at home to open the season, the concerning trend returned when the Rangers couldn’t generate anything else for the rest of the game.
After the Rangers’ third consecutive shutout at home to start the year last week, Zibanejad said he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Six days later, his tone shifted to distraught—reflecting frustration as they enter their latest chance to reverse this trajectory, with a home game against the Sharks on Thursday.
This glimpse of emotion captured just how much this scoring rut has begun to weigh on the Rangers.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/21/sports/mika-zibanejads-tone-shift-says-everything-about-rangers/
Shane Lowry came close to winning the DP World India Championship in New Delhi last week. After four rounds of thrilling golf at the Delhi Golf Club, Lowry tied for third place alongside Aaron Fitzpatrick and Thriston Lawrence.
While Lowry missed out on the opportunity to claim the title, he made sure to send a heartwarming message to the tournament winner, Tommy Fleetwood. On X (formerly Twitter), Lowry congratulated Fleetwood and summed up his memorable time in India. Shane Lowry wrote:
“Incredible week here in India, great people, great hospitality and some good golf too. Congrats to Tommy on another win. ☘️”
If Shane Lowry had won the DP World India Championship, it would have been his first professional victory since April 2024. Last year in April, Lowry teamed up with his good friend Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
### How Much Did Shane Lowry Earn for Finishing Third?
The DP World India Championship featured a total prize purse of €3,447,880 (approximately $4 million). Out of this amount, Shane Lowry earned €176,746.78 for his tied third-place finish. The tournament winner, Tommy Fleetwood, received €580,057.00.
Here is a detailed look at the payout for the top finishers:
| Position | Player | Prize (€) |
|——————|———————-|——————–|
| 1. | Tommy Fleetwood | 580,057.00 |
| 2. | Keita Nakajima | 375,331.00 |
| T3. | Alex Fitzpatrick | 176,746.78 |
| T3. | Thriston Lawrence | 176,746.78 |
| T3. | Shane Lowry | 176,746.78 |
| 6. | Viktor Hovland | 102,363.00 |
| T7. | Joost Luiten | 102,363.00 |
| T7. | Jayden Schaper | 102,363.00 |
| T9. | Daniel Hillier | 72,336.52 |
| T9. | Michael Kim | 72,336.52 |
| T11. | Jorge Campillo | 60,735.38 |
| T11. | Ben Schmidt | 60,735.38 |
| T13. | Dan Bradbury | 53,569.97 |
| T13. | Tom Vaillant | 53,569.97 |
| T15. | Brandon Robinson Thompson | 49,134.24 |
| T15. | Andy Sullivan | 49,134.24 |
| T17. | Martin Couvra | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Jens Dantorp | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Alfredo Garcia-Heredia | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Casey Jarvis | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Andrea Pavan | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | David Ravetto | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Marcel Schneider | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Freddy Schott | 40,111.13 |
| T17. | Bernd Wiesberger | 40,111.13 |
| 26. | Eugenio Chacarra | 32,414.95 |
| T26. | Andreas Halvorsen | 32,414.95 |
| T26. | Brian Harman | 32,414.95 |
| T26. | Frederic Lacroix | 32,414.95 |
| T26. | Rory McIlroy | 32,414.95 |
The payout continued down the rankings, with players receiving varying amounts based on their finishing positions.
—
Shane Lowry’s performance at the DP World India Championship was commendable, and his gracious message to Tommy Fleetwood highlighted the sportsmanship and respect between the players. With more tournaments ahead, golf fans will be eagerly watching to see if Lowry can add more victories to his resume soon.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/golf/news-shane-lowry-sends-tommy-fleetwood-message-missing-winning-dp-world-india-championship
Russell Wilson clapped back at former coach Sean Payton a day after the Denver Broncos’ leader threw shade at the one-time Super Bowl champion.
The exchange between the two sparked reactions across the NFL community, highlighting the tension that can arise between players and coaches even after their official partnerships end.
Wilson’s response demonstrated his confidence and readiness to address criticism head-on, adding another chapter to the ongoing dialogue surrounding his career and legacy.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-didn-t-realize-you-re-still-bounty-hunting-russell-wilson-takes-brutal-shot-sean-payton-1-day-broncos-hc-seemingly-shaded-giants-qb
Haryana Steelers crushed Gujarat Giants 50-32 in their Pro Kabaddi 2025 clash on Tuesday, October 21. Returning to winning ways after a defeat in their previous game, Haryana retained their sixth position on the table. They now have 18 points from 17 matches, with a score difference of +29. The defending champions also sealed their spot in the top eight with this victory, becoming the sixth team to qualify for the Pro Kabaddi 2025 playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat Giants dropped from eighth to tenth position following the heavy loss. They currently have 12 points from 17 games, with a score difference of -45.
Earlier, U Mumba edged out Jaipur Pink Panthers 37-36 in a closely contested match. With this win, U Mumba moved up from fifth to fourth position, collecting 20 points with a score difference of +11. Despite the loss, the Panthers retained their seventh spot with 16 points from 17 matches. They also confirmed their qualification for the playoffs following Haryana’s win.
The first game of the day saw Bengal Warriorz narrowly defeat Tamil Thalaivas 44-43. Despite the victory, Bengal Warriorz remain at the very bottom of the table. Due to Gujarat’s defeat, Tamil Thalaivas moved up from ninth to eighth position, even after their loss.
Patna Pirates also benefited from Gujarat’s poor performance, moving up from tenth to ninth place. The Pirates have 12 points from 16 matches, with a score difference of -40.
Following U Mumba’s win, Bengaluru Bulls dropped from fourth to fifth position. They currently have 18 points from 16 games, with a score difference of +39.
Other teams maintained their positions with Puneri Paltan leading the chart at the top. Puneri have 26 points from 18 games, followed closely by Dabang Delhi in second with 26 points from 17 matches. Telugu Titans hold third place with 20 points, while UP Yoddhas are in eleventh position with 12 points.
—
**Pro Kabaddi League 2025: Day 48 Results (Tuesday, October 21)**
– Match 100: Bengal Warriorz 44 – 43 Tamil Thalaivas
– Match 101: U Mumba 37 – 36 Jaipur Pink Panthers
– Match 102: Haryana Steelers 50 – 32 Gujarat Giants
**Pro Kabaddi League 2025: Day 49 Fixtures (Wednesday, October 22)**
All matches will be played at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi.
– Match 103: Haryana Steelers vs Telugu Titans, 7:30 pm
– Match 104: Bengaluru Bulls vs Bengal Warriorz, 8:30 pm
– Match 105: Dabang Delhi vs Patna Pirates, 9:30 pm
Stay tuned for more updates as the league progresses.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/kabaddi/news-pro-kabaddi-2025-points-table-updated-standings-day-48-har-vs-guj-pkl-2025-match
Ultimate Scream has been confirmed as the next event in Ultimate Team. Fans can expect exciting new content and challenges as part of this thrilling promotion.
Among the anticipated additions is the EA FC 26 Phil Foden Ultimate Scream SBC, which is rumored to be released soon during the event. Stay tuned for more updates and details on how to complete this special Squad Building Challenge.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/ea-fc-26-phil-foden-ultimate-scream-sbc-leaked-expected-stats-cost
OKLAHOMA CITY – The 2025-26 NBA season opens with a historic night for the champion Oklahoma City Thunder as they celebrate their first title in franchise history at the Paycom Center.
Before taking on the Houston Rockets, head coach Mark Daigneault and the Thunder players will receive their championship rings and raise a banner in honor of the title. Then, it’s back to work for the defending champions.
The Thunder enter the regular season as favorites to repeat in 2026, but recent NBA history suggests the odds may not be in Oklahoma City’s favor. Over the past 23 years, only three teams have won back-to-back titles: the Golden State Warriors (2017-18), the Miami Heat (2012-13), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2001-02).
Will the 2025-26 Thunder beat the odds? Here are four of the biggest Thunder storylines heading into Opening Night.
### 1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Shines in Thunder Preseason
After scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting in his preseason debut, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the preseason with a combined 51 points on an efficient 20-for-24 shooting, including 5-for-7 from beyond the arc in three appearances. He played no more than 20 minutes per outing, highlighted by a 23-point performance in a 116-112 win against the Milwaukee Bucks.
From his 29-point effort in the Finals-clinching Game 7 victory against the Indiana Pacers to the upcoming regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander is picking up right where he left off. The league’s reigning MVP and the Thunder’s title defense begin after their championship ring and banner-raising ceremony at the Paycom Center. SGA could be on pace for another MVP campaign.
### 2. Will 2025-26 Be Chet Holmgren’s Breakout Season?
Chet Holmgren looked promising in his preseason debut against the Denver Nuggets in the Thunder’s final preseason game before Opening Night. He finished with nine points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 19 first-half minutes as head coach Mark Daigneault rested his starters after halftime.
Much has been said about Holmgren’s busy offseason, which is expected to translate into his first All-Star campaign. From playing only 32 regular-season games last year to becoming a catalyst for the Thunder’s championship run, there’s plenty of reason to believe 2025-26 will be a breakout year for Holmgren.
Considering Jalen Williams’ All-NBA stride last season as a fellow 2022 draft classmate, it’s reasonable to assume the second overall pick could be headed down a similar path. Barring significant injury—Holmgren’s fourth-year kryptonite—the forward is projected for a big year. He averaged 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game before a pelvic injury cut his 2024-25 season short.
### 3. Mark Daigneault Sees Significant Growth in Cason Wallace
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault frequently reminded reporters throughout the preseason that while his young players proved themselves by winning the NBA Finals, their growth hasn’t stalled. It’s one of the many benefits of being the NBA’s youngest team.
Daigneault singled out Cason Wallace as a player showing marked development heading into 2025-26. Wallace started 43 of the Thunder’s 68 regular-season games last year, often starting on nights Daigneault opted against his double-big starting lineup featuring Isaiah Hartenstein.
Alongside Holmgren, Wallace is among the young players who have shown significant progress. “He just keeps getting better. He’s a developmental player. He’s young. This is only his third season. Sometimes you forget guys are developmental players when they’re that impactful,” Daigneault said.
“Chet is a high-impact player still getting better. Cason is a high, high-impact player still getting better. Even Dub [Jalen Williams], last season was just his third year, and as high-impact as he was, he’s still getting better. Cason has a lot of runway.
“He’s got a lot of things he can still improve on. He worked really hard in the summer. He’s not interested in staying the same. He’s ambitious with his work, as humble as he is. He’s definitely getting better since last season.”
### 4. Jalen Williams to Miss Season Opener and Beyond
The Thunder announced their active Opening Night roster without All-Star Jalen Williams, who is still recovering from surgery on his right wrist. Williams played through a torn ligament in his shooting wrist throughout the Thunder’s championship run last postseason.
Updates on Williams’ recovery have been scarce during training camp and preseason, but the Thunder will begin their title defense without their All-Star forward. The team confirmed that Williams is currently in the “return to play” process and does not expect him to miss an extended period.
—
As the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to defend their first championship, all eyes will be on their young stars and how they navigate the challenges ahead. Will they beat the odds and capture back-to-back titles? The 2025-26 season promises to be an exciting chapter for the franchise and its fans.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/oklahoma-city-thunder/thunder-news-4-biggest-storylines-champion-preseason-opening-night
**Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Midtjylland Preview: UEFA Europa League 2025-26**
Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Midtjylland at the Gradski Stadion on Thursday in the third round of the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League group stage. After a challenging run of recent results, the Yellows are eager to turn their fortunes around as they return to continental football this week.
In their Europa League opener last month, Maccabi Tel Aviv secured a point with a goalless draw against Greek side PAOK. However, their second group game saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb. Despite taking the lead 14 minutes in through a strike from Saied Farchi, they were unable to hold on as Dinamo came from behind to claim all three points.
Midtjylland, on the other hand, got off to a strong start in the competition. They picked up a 2-0 win over Sturm Graz in their opening match, capitalizing on an own goal in the first half and a late goal from Ousmane Diao. The Danish side then followed that up with an impressive 3-2 away victory against Premier League club Nottingham Forest, with Diao once again on the scoresheet.
Currently sitting second in the group with six points, Midtjylland can move closer to securing a spot in the knockout stages with a win on Thursday.
—
### Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Midtjylland: Head-to-Head and Key Stats
– This Thursday’s game will be only the second meeting between the two clubs. Their first encounter was last season’s Europa League group stage, where Midtjylland triumphed 2-0.
– Midtjylland have netted five goals so far in this Europa League campaign, second only to Dinamo Zagreb who have six.
– Maccabi Tel Aviv have been solid defensively in their domestic league this season, conceding just three goals in six matches—the best defensive record in the Israeli top flight.
—
### Match Prediction
Maccabi Tel Aviv come into this clash without a win in their last four games after a run of four consecutive victories. Playing away from home, in a neutral venue in Serbia, they will have no home advantage and must be at their best to earn points.
Midtjylland, nicknamed Hedens Drenge, are in excellent form, currently undefeated in their last seven matches across all competitions, winning six of those. Their momentum and superior form suggest they are favorites to claim victory in this encounter.
**Prediction:** Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-2 Midtjylland
—
### Betting Tips
– **Tip 1: Match Result** – Midtjylland to win
– **Tip 2: Goals Over/Under 2.5** – Over 2.5 goals
– **Tip 3: Both Teams to Score** – YES (Both teams have scored in four of Midtjylland’s last five matches)
—
Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting Europa League battle as both teams aim to boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/maccabi-tel-aviv-vs-midtjylland-prediction-betting-tips-october-23rd-2025
This year is supposed to be Year 1 of the true Vikings plan, even if O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are technically in Year 4. They have their hand-picked young quarterback. He came into the year healthy, and the team cleared the deck for him to be the Week 1 starter. A franchise that has had a fitful time developing young QBs, often resorting to veteran stopgaps, was finally poised to break that cycle.
Then McCarthy struggled. And got hurt again, after missing all of last season. Now, his recovery seems to be taking longer — or at least it’s on a very generous timeline designed to help McCarthy succeed in the long run, but it feels agonizing in the present.
Fans realize Carson Wentz is a stopgap. He is graded No. 35 out of 37 eligible NFL QBs this season by Pro Football Focus. Wentz will play well enough to win and poorly enough to lose, often in the same game. He’s not the same caliber QB as Kirk Cousins, but he is similar in that his ceiling and floor are too close to each other. A full year of Wentz would be spinning your wheels on the way to an 8-9 or 9-8 record.
Fans can also see that Sam Darnold (No. 1 grade from PFF) and Daniel Jones (No. 9) are smoothly operating offenses for winning teams. They see Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in 2024 — a player the Vikings coveted but had no realistic chance of drafting — starting to break out with the Patriots. There is QB envy, and the only cure is seeing McCarthy play and do good things.
I think most Vikings fans would still consider this season a success if the team missed the playoffs but learned that McCarthy is on a reasonable trajectory to becoming a top-10 quarterback. The only way we can know that is if he plays. That will come soon enough, of course, but never soon enough. So we look for breadcrumbs: both McCarthy and Wentz were listed as “limited” on Monday’s initial estimated injury report. What might that mean for Thursday?
By comparison, Panthers QB Bryce Young suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday but hasn’t yet been ruled out for next week. People are just less patient in general. We live in a culture conditioned to expect convenience, and waiting for anything is not convenient. Waiting for McCarthy is particularly agonizing for long-suffering fans. But that’s all they can do for now.
Switching gears, the Wild played the most Wild game of the season so far — tight and low-scoring — resulting in a much-needed 3-1 win over the Rangers.
In baseball, it’s the Blue Jays vs. the Dodgers in the World Series after George Springer rallied Toronto to a 4-3 win in Game 7 of the ALCS over Seattle. My guess is that most Americans are rooting for the Canadian team.
The Wolves, who used to be the worst franchise, are now among the best. I’ll talk more about that with Chris Hine on a special season preview podcast that will be out soon.
Also, Randy Johnson will join me on Wednesday’s regular show to talk Gophers football. After a big win over Nebraska, it’s on to Iowa.
https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vikings-quarterback-jj-mccarthy-kevin-oconnell/601498058
The bizarre Josh Simmons situation remains a mysterious subject surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had little to offer on Monday after Simmons missed his second straight game last week in what is becoming an increasingly odd circumstance.
“As far as Josh goes, I don’t have any updates for ya,” Reid told reporters. “(General manager Brett) Veach is handling everything there. And so, we just, ya know, just move on with that.”
The Chiefs have been tight-lipped about the reasons why their first-round pick has been sidelined, while reports have described the situation as “extremely unusual.”
Simmons first missed the Chiefs’ 30-17 Sunday Night Football win over the Detroit Lions on October 5, after leaving the team to head home to California to deal with what Kansas City referred to as a family matter. Coach Reid then declined to comment further on the situation during a press conference on October 15.
“As far as Josh Simmons’ situation goes, I’m not going to comment on it today,” Reid said. “Veach is handling everything there. And we’ll leave it at that.”
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes hinted at the seriousness of the issue. “I’ll keep conversations kind of between us,” Mahomes said. “But I’m always praying for him. I’m praying for all my teammates, so I’m always praying for him. I’ll just keep everything else kind of private to us.”
An ESPN Chiefs reporter noted during an interview on the “Only Weird Games” podcast that Simmons left the team at an “extremely unusual” time, and no one within the organization knows when he will return.
Simmons also missed this past Sunday’s 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs initially drafted Simmons with the No. 32 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he started each of the first five games while playing 95 percent of the offensive snaps.
Despite Simmons’ absence, Kansas City hasn’t missed a beat. Jaylon Moore has protected Mahomes’ blindside over the last two weeks as the offense has averaged 30.5 points per game, helping the team improve to 4-3 on the season.
The Chiefs have an extra day of preparation this week for their Week 8 Monday Night Football contest at home against the Washington Commanders, who could be without quarterback Jayden Daniels due to a hamstring injury.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/21/sports/andy-reid-says-chiefs-move-on-as-mystery-surrounding-josh-simmons-lingers/
